Fell a small garden tree safely with hand tools, after checking permissions and nesting birds, then clear up the wood.
TB-01Check permission before you cutContact your council's planning department, or check their online tree register, to see if the tree has a Tree Preservation Order or sits inside a conservation area. Working on a tree with a Tree Preservation Order without the council's consent is a criminal offence, and so is working on a tree in a conservation area without giving the council six weeks' written notice first, even on your own land. See HomeGraft's guide "Can I cut down or prune a tree with a tree preservation order?" for how to check and apply. Do this before you touch a saw.
RULESKNOW THE RULES
TPO trees need the council's consent, and trees in a conservation area need six weeks' written notice first. Skipping either is a criminal offence.
TB-02Check for nesting birdsLook closely through the branches for nests, not just the obvious large ones. It's an offence to damage or destroy an active bird's nest, and the main nesting season runs roughly March to August. If you find a nest in use, leave the tree alone and wait until the chicks have fledged before you cut.
RULESKNOW THE RULES
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes it an offence to damage or destroy an active bird's nest.
TB-03Decide if this is really a DIY jobThis guide is for a genuinely small tree: no taller than about head height at the top of the work, with a trunk no thicker than your forearm. If it's bigger than that, leans towards a building, road or power line, or you'd need a ladder or a chainsaw to reach any part of it, call a tree surgeon instead. Hand tools and both feet on the ground only - never cut from a ladder.
TB-04Check the boundary and talk to neighbours if neededIf the tree stands near a boundary, work out which way it will fall and make sure it can't land on a neighbour's fence, shed or garden. Don't go onto their land without asking first. If any branches overhang their side, you can cut back to the boundary line from your own garden, but offer the cuttings back to them.
TB-05Gather your tools and protective gearSet out everything you need before you start: a bow saw or pruning saw for the trunk, loppers for branches, sturdy gloves and eye protection. Wear boots with good grip and a long-sleeved top, and keep a phone nearby in case you need help.
1 pair · Gardening gloves TB-06Clear the area and plan the fallClear the ground around the tree of pots, furniture and toys, and keep other people and pets well away from the work area. Decide which way the tree should fall - choose a clear, open direction away from fences, sheds, washing lines and paths. For a tree this size you can usually guide it down by hand once it's cut most of the way through.
TB-07Remove the lower branches firstStarting from the ground, use loppers or a pruning saw to take off branches up to around waist height. This gives you clear access to the trunk and somewhere safe to stand. Cut each branch close to the trunk, working outwards from the base.
TB-08Cut a notch on the side you want it to fallAbout 300-400mm above the ground, cut a notch roughly a third of the way into the trunk, on the side facing the direction you want the tree to go. Make a straight cut in, then an angled cut down to meet it, so a wedge of wood comes free. This notch tells the tree which way to fall.
TB-09Make the felling cut from the other sideOn the opposite side of the trunk, start a cut about 50mm above the base of the notch. Stop sawing as soon as the tree starts to lean or crack - don't cut all the way through. Step back along a clear path away from the fall direction as it goes over, and never stand underneath it.
TB-10Deal with the stumpCut the stump as low to the ground as you safely can. Dig around the roots with a spade or mattock and lever the stump out, or paint the cut surface with a stump treatment if you'd rather leave the roots to rot down naturally. Fill the hole with soil once the stump is out.
1 each · Garden mattock or spade 1 bottle · Stump treatment TB-11Cut up the branches and trunkCut the trunk and larger branches into lengths you can carry comfortably, and strip off smaller twigs with loppers. Stack logs to one side if you want to keep them for firewood, or leave a small pile for garden wildlife.
TB-12Dispose of the waste and tidy upTake brash and small branches to a green waste collection or your local recycling centre, or compost soft material if you have space. Check the area for off-cuts, nails or stakes that could trip someone, and clean and dry your tools before putting them away.
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